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THOSE OTHER ANIMALS. 



saved Rome by giving warning of the approach of the Gauls 

 while the watch-dog slept is historical, and the goose was 

 ever afterwards honoured by that military people. Even now 

 the goose is employed in many places as a watcher, and 

 there are many nurserymen in the neighbourhood of London 

 who keep two or three geese in their gardens to give notice 

 of the approach of marauders upon their fruit and flowers. 

 It is singular, indeed, that they have not been utilised still 



further in this direction. They certainly have the drawback 

 that, however great their valour, they are not feared by the 

 armed burglar as much as is a savage watch-dog ; but, upon 

 the other hand, they can be cheaply kept, and can bring 

 up a family which can be turned to other purposes than 

 that of sentinels. Of all birds they are the most courageous ; 

 the gallinaceae, and, indeed, many other birds, will fight 

 fiercely among themselves, but they rarely exhibit valour 

 against other creatures, and are almost universally afraid of 

 man. The goose, on the contrary, is of mild temper with 



